A Day in the Shift
by Robin Eve
Summary: A typical day for A Shift at Station 51 . . . or is it? The men contemplate why they do what they do and are reminded of those very reasons from the people they help and from each other.
1. Chapter 1

_I've been soaking up my Season 5 DVDs and was inspired to start the following story. My challenge is to stick as close to E! canon as possible with a few lessons here and there—always good to stick to basics and enjoy the simple pleasures in life! Enjoy!_

**A Day in the Shift**

It wasn't the idea of morning that annoyed him. Nor was it the concept of actually getting out of the bed and leaving behind warmth, comfort and a really good sleep. He always enjoyed the feeling of leisurely rising and soaking in the bright morning sunshine or the quiet drops of rain, whatever choice the day made of its attire. However, this morning was not at all peaceful or comforting. Instead, his awareness of time reverberated in his head with a pounding realization that he was late. _Not again, man_ . . . he thought at he shoved the blankets aside, scrubbed the night embers of sleep away and stumbled to the bathroom. No, it wasn't even annoyance today. It was more like exasperation at his inability to react to his alarm clock appropriately and the fact that this was not the good start to his day.

Johnny completed cleaning up and quickly put on the uniform that was already at home. At least it would save him a few minutes once he was at the station. Grabbing his keys and slamming the door behind, he ran down the flight of stairs of his apartment. Jumping into his Rover, he quickly strapped the lap belt and kicked the vehicle into high gear, joining the throng of traffic which was moving very slowly.

He let out a deep breath and looked up at the dawn breaking over the horizon of buildings in the current city sprawl. As was his routine before every shift, he wondered what kind of day it would be and how much trouble he'd find among the possible calls of the impending shift. His stomach growled at that moment and then he wondered if someone remembered donuts today.

*******

Hank stretched over to reach for the cake donut from the dozen that Joanne graciously sent in with Roy. He glanced at the wall clock and noticed that his youngest crew member still hadn't arrived.

"Roy, any word on John?" he queried.

Roy looked out into the bay swallowing his mouthful of donut. "Nothing, Cap."

"He's probably still dreaming about the newest nurse he couldn't get a date with last week," Chet piped in while retrieving his second cup of coffee.

Hank shook his head and dismissed Chet's comment, as usual. "Well, whatever the reason, it better be good. He's really pushing it."

Hank didn't like to reprimand his crew. They were good men and worked well together. His style of leadership was firm yet fair, but in a way the men could respect. He valued each of them for their unique personalities and always enjoyed the challenge John gave him. He was also proud of his paramedic team as they always set high standards for the entire fire department. John and Roy were the consummate professionals and strong rescue men. He couldn't have had a better group. Just as he was pushing away from the table, the focus of his morning thoughts came through the door.

"Sorry, Cap. . .I don't why but I really slept through my alarm. Man, I'm gonna have to get a new one, I guess," Johnny quickly explained with a pensive and breathless voice.

"Look, John, why don't you take over latrine duty this week and make that your reflecting time to ponder just how we're going to avoid this in the future. Okay, pal?"

"Sure, Cap, sure," Johnny responded with some relief.

Chet sauntered behind Johnny and grabbed the last creme-filled donut. "Too bad, Johnny. Guess some porcelain meditation will do you some good!"

Johnny didn't let his look of disappointment show on his face as he watched his favorite donut pass by him. "Chet, lay off, man," was all he said.

Hank stood up and picked up his coffee mug. "Gentlemen, let's get settled in and . . . "

The tones sounded and dispatch changed Hank's order of business. The squad was called out on a "woman down" call. He handed the slip to Roy and watched at the squad rolled out into the morning sunlight.

***********

The squad pulled up to the run-down apartment complex and quickly disembarked carrying the biophone and drug box. Unknown calls always set up certain anxious feelings for Johnny and Roy as they didn't know how to prepare.

Roy rapped on the door. "Fire Department. Hello?" he yelled.

The door opened and Johnny did his best not to show a look of disgust. The place was filthy and cluttered along with strong odors of smoke, trash and old food. The disheveled man behind the open door grunted.

"She's in here. Don't know why she's so upset—just some bleach," he growled as he puffed on his cigarette.

Johnny and Roy stepped over the multiple piles of clothes on the floor and made their way to the living room sofa. A young woman who looked about twenty was writhing on the cushions rubbing her eyes and cussing a litany of profanity that made the paramedics wince.

Johnny put down the biophone and immediately took her hands away from her face. "Now, now, come on. Don't rub your eyes. What happened?"

The older man grunted again and with no emotion said, "Hell, had to teach her a lesson but I wasn't gonna stop her. Her mama did it."

"She can go to hell! I'm leaving this dump today—oh, man, shit . . . it burns. My throat hurts . . .ack!" the woman screamed while still thrashing under Johnny's firm grip.

"Listen, now . . . what's your name? We need for you to try and calm down so we can help you," Johnny said wrestling with her panic and flailing hands.

Roy worked on opening gauze pads and saline solution while giving incredulous looks between the man and the upset woman. "Sir, what exactly happened?"

"She threw some of 'his on her and stormed out of 'ere. Who knows—maybe Liza was out all night again!" the man said with a raised voice.

Roy picked up the container of cleaning fluid and noticed the standard warnings. "Johnny, looks like bleach."

Johnny wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Liza, Liza? Look, now, we're gonna put these pads on your eyes and I need you to keep them there. Okay?"

Liza began to settle down a little affording Johnny a chance to release her arms and place the pads Roy handed him to her eyes. "It might feel a little cold, but that's okay. Tell us about your throat?"

"That bitch—she just threw that damn container in my face—I didn't do nothin'—just out with my friends. I'm sick of her . . .!" Liza began to angry again.

Johnny held her shoulders and began taking her pulse and respirations. "Okay, okay. It's okay. Come on, just be still, now."

Roy finished the blood pressure check and transmitted the vitals to Rampart. He confirmed their instructions to start an IV with D5W TKO along with oxygen for treating the possible inflammation of the fumes from the cleaner along with a flush of the eyes with saline. He looked over at the man hovering in the hallway. "Sir, we really need you to put that out—we've got oxygen flowing here," Roy said barely containing his irritation.

Liza finally succumbed to the paramedics' ministrations allowing Johnny to really get a good look at her. His initial reaction was wrong. She didn't look twenty now—she look younger, much younger. Yet she was dressed provocatively and appeared to have not slept. He looked over at Roy who was holding the basin for the flush. He acknowledged Johnny's look of _"why?"_

Just as the ambulance attendants pushed through the cluttered floor a women flew into the apartment in a violent rage. She pushed over the still-smoking man from the door way and cut her way directly to the sofa.

"What the hell is going on here? Don't you even baby her! I mean it!" The woman had a high-pitched voice that pierced the room and her caked on make-up and stiff wig made her appear bigger than anyone else in the room. "She needs to be studying her homework and not slutting around town. Little missy is gonna learn not to mouth off to her mama and come home at night!"

Liza became agitated again and almost ripped off her now covered and padded eyes had it not been for Johnny's quick reaction to hold her arms again. "Arrgh! Get away from me, you crazy whore!"

Johnny struggled to keep Liza from getting up to quickly while Roy moved to grab the screeching woman away from the injured girl.

"Ma'am, excuse me, ma'am, we've got to take her to the hospital—this is not the time . . ." Roy tried to calm her down. She kicked Roy in the shin. "Keep your hands off me!"

Roy cringed and Johnny was stunned at the rising fervor in the room. He wondered how much more this could escalate when he noticed Vince walking into the apartment. He expressed a big sigh of relief knowing that Vince would help control the current domestic dispute.

"Excuse, ma'am. Could you please step away from them and let them finish their job?" his deep voice penetrated the chaotic scene.

Roy and Johnny picked up Liza and moved her to the gurney while the attendants begin strapping her in. "Keep her away from me, I mean it! I don't care what you say!" Liza continued to verbalize her feelings loudly.

The older woman was fuming and the man just stood behind her without a care. Vince began taking notes from the both of them. Roy and Johnny quickly packed up their gear and followed the gurney.

"Vince, ya need anything from us?" Johnny asked on the way out.

"No, Johnny, not now. I've got this. See you later," he replied.

"Good deal. Uh, we're taking her to Rampart," Johnny said directing his comments to the seething woman. She simply glared at him.

Johnny followed behind the procession to the ambulance and took Roy's helmet from him while he stepped into the truck. Liza was still mumbling and groaning, but seemed better. Johnny handed Roy the biophone. "See ya at Rampart."

Roy nodded and gave a small smile. Johnny sighed, closed the doors and pounded the back door. He ran to the squad and jumped in. He looked back up toward the apartment and shook his head. It never failed to amaze him that people could be so violent especially toward those closest to them. He wondered if Liza would just continue to perpetuate the cycle of violence she was learning from her mother. Did she have a future? Johnny made a small groan of frustration and focused on the following the ambulance. It was just another typical day in sunny Los Angeles.


	2. Chapter 2

"I just don't get it. Why anyone would do things like that," Johnny continued his rant as Roy drove back to the station. Roy nodded his head and understood the need Johnny had to vent. It was part of why their partnership worked so well. At any given time, either one of them knew when it was time to voice their frustrations and then let it go. They both had grown in the past years to respect and honor their friendship both on and off the job. Today seemed like Johnny's day to voice both of their thoughts and opinions.

"Ya know, I can handle the blood, the accidents, the drama of some of our rescues, but man, to see violence like that within a family, a home," Johnny glared out at the passing traffic.

"Yeah, it's hard," Roy agreed. "At least Doc Brackett thinks there won't be too much damage from the burns. "

Johnny exhaled and closed his eyes. He thought about Jenny and Chris, the closest he had to his own children.

"Roy, I'm just glad you and Joanne know how to be strong adults and good parents."

Roy smiled and looked at his partner with silent appreciation. Johnny looked back and grinned. He had said enough and Roy seemed thankful. Johnny looked back out the passenger window and let it go. He did his job and he reconnected with the true reality of his friendship with Roy and his family. Indeed, it was a good day.

******

Mike heard the squad acknowledge their return status from Rampart over the speaker in the bay. He worked a little harder to finish polishing the chrome on the rig and he loved how it began to sparkle. Nothing was more satisfying than making everything about his engine look good, work good and support his work family.

So far the day was quiet and he appreciated the moments of quiet repose. Cap was working in his office while Chet and Marco were busy hanging hose in the back. He looked forward to the anticipated poker game tonight after dinner and hoped that whatever was in store for them today, that they would all be prepared and ready. He finished the chrome bar and made his third check on the gauges and dials. He knew it was ridiculous to think of the engine as a machine that had feelings, but feelings he had over the rig. He knew that the equipment was the next important thing besides teamwork to make sure their runs didn't fail. To make sure their victims survived and that each one of his friends came back whole and happy.

It was not a small task but it was one that he carried with great care and responsibility. He had complete faith in all the guys and he had the same faith in his equipment. No matter that many of the people they rescued could have avoided the problems had they been more thoughtful and cautious. But, Mike surmised, it was just the way it was. Some days were better than others and some days were simply routine. He liked those days the most. Routine and mundane in a firefighter's world was always appreciated.

He glanced up as the squad backed into the bay. Johnny and Roy hopped out and Johnny walked up to Mike. "Got all the fingerprints off her, Mickey?"

Mike made an easy smile and simply ignored Johnny's smart remark. Although, he did enjoyed the easy going mood Johnny was in. Maybe their run went well.

"How'd it go," he asked.

"Ah, man, it was rough. Mother and daughter fight ended up with bleach in the kid's face. But she'll be okay, after some quick work from two pretty amazing paramedics, if I do say so myself." Johnny remarked with splayed fingers across his chest cocking his head to match his lop-sided toothy grin. Roy simply shook his head and walked into the dayroom. Mike liked the typical and predictable actions he could always count on from his crew mate. He just smiled back at Johnny and kept polishing.

*******

"Gage, all you have to do is rig something to your ceiling and tie it to your arm or somethin' and then BAM—the alarm goes off and you go for the clock and your arm pulls the rope and there you are—awake! Simple science, my friend, simple science!" Chet seemed pleased with his latest suggestion.

Johnny stared at him with his mouth open trying to figure out what Chet just said. "What planet are you from?" was the only retort he could think of.

Chet just waved his hand and went toward the coffee pot. "Just forget it, Gage. You're hopeless."

Johnny sat down at the table to help Roy with the logbook entry. "Can you believe him?" he asked hoping to get Roy to help him out with Chet.

Roy looked over at his partner and didn't say a word. He handed the slips to Johnny and Johnny looked stunned that Roy wasn't going to join in his defense against Chet's barrage of suggestions.

"Just let me know when you're ready for some real help, pal!" Chet quipped on his way out to the back to finish with the hose.

Johnny snorted and ran his hand through his thick hair. "Man, what'd I do? I haven't been late in quite a while. I guess Chet's just bored and ran out of pranks."

"Listen, the more you react, the more he's gonna keep at you. You should know that by now," Roy replied quietly.

"I know, I know . . ."

The tones sounded interrupting Johnny's thoughts. "Station 51, Engine 10, Ladder 18, structure fire, 1800 Carlson Boulevard, cross street Pope, 1800 Carlson Boulevard, time out 11:10."

The squad and engine pulled out into the pre-lunch traffic and announced their intent as both vehicles deftly weaved in and out of the stopped cars. The shiny chrome, spotless fenders and gleaming sides of the squad and engine reflected the late morning sun eager to wrestle with the Beast that waited for no one.


End file.
